S0TL8 FERTILIZERS. 19 



(luction .-uid nilrosen tixation of various orgauisuis obtained in the process of 

 isolatint; RJiizobiuiii IcgnDiiiio.sanim from a nodule of the l)lue lupine are briefly 

 reported upon in this article. The organisms exjierimented with were A. 

 clinjocovciiiii. BaciUiis ntdiobactcr, and B. Iciimiformans singly and in various 

 combinations. " The experiment bears out Beijerinck's and Van Delden's re- 

 sults, that the Hxation of nitrogen by these bacteria is chiefly, if not entirely, 

 due to -I. chroococciiiii : and . . . indicates that the combination of bacteria 

 brings about a quicker and more regnlai' fixation." 



A biolog'ical method for the determination of alkali carbonates in soils, 

 H. n. CiiRiSTENSEN {Tidsski: Landbr. Planteavl, l.'t (1907), pp. 292-29h- C'cntbl. 

 liakt. [etc.], 2. Abf., 19 {1901), No. 21-23, pp. 735, 736; abs. in Chrm. ZcnIbL, 

 190^, I, \o. 2, pp. 166, 167). — This is a preliminary report of investigations in 

 continuation of previous experiments which led to the conclusion that lime in 

 the form of gypsum, calcium chlorid, and tricaleium phosphate can not be 

 utilized by Azotobacter (E. S. R., IS, p. 720). 



The later investigations do not bear out this conclusion, but show that in 

 certain soils there is no growth with these salts, in others a limited growth, 

 and in still others as vigorous growth with these salts as with calcium carbon- 

 ate. This difference in behavior of soils is attributed to the presence in certain 

 of them of substances which are able to convert a small amount of the lime 

 into form suitable for assimilation by Azotobacter. 



Experiments are reported which show that alkali carbonates are capable of 

 In-inging about such changes, and it is suggested that the growth of Azotobacter 

 in soils suiii)lied with gypsum may be utilized as a measure of their content of 

 alkali carbonates. 



The new nitragin, .J. Vogel (Illus. Landw. Ztg., 27 {1907), No 2, pp. 5, 6; 

 abx. in Ccntbl. Bakt. [etc.], 2. Abt., 20 {1907), No. 6-7, p. i7,5).— This article 

 reviews the progress in the practical application of pure cultures for soil inocu- 

 lation, especially with the improved Hiltner cultures. It is stated that it has 

 been demonstrated that Hiltner's cultures and methods of inoculation give in 

 many cases results of great practical importance. Of 62 tests of pure cultures 

 for serradella reported in 1905, 85 per cent gave beneficial results. Large num- 

 bers of cultures for yellow and blue lupines, peas, vetches, and beans were also 

 distributed. 



Inoculation as a factor in growing alfalfa, H. A. Harding and .J. K. Wilson 

 {Xew York yStatc ,S7«. Bid. 300, pp. 137-16'i, figs. 2, map 7).— This bulletin gives 

 the results of experiments on 07 farms in 33 different counties of the State to 

 test the need and most effective means of inoculation for alfalfa. 



" The bacteria, Pseudomonas radicicoia, which enable alfalfa to obtain nitro- 

 gen from the air were present, at least in small numbers, in practically all of 

 the 07 experimental fields. They were present in sufficient numbers to produce 

 an inoculation in any considerable number of the young alfalfa plants in only 

 one-third of these fields. An attempt to supply the germs by applying pure 

 cultures of 1'. radicicoia to the seed, drying, and sowing, resulted in almost com- 

 plete failure. Applying soil from an old alfalfa field at the rate of 150 to 300 

 lbs. per acre invariably produced an abundant inoculation on these experimental 

 fields. 



" While but 15 of the 07 experimental plats produced a successful crop with- 

 out inoculation, 48 adjacent plats where inoculating soil had been applied pro- 

 duced successful crops. Accordingly, alfalfa growing, on 33 of the 67 fields 

 which were tested, was changed from a failure to a success by the application 

 of inoculating soil." 



Alfalfa aided by soil inoculation, F. H. Hall {New York State 8ta. Bui. 

 300, popular cd., pp. 10). — A popular edition of the above. 



